Prämonstratenserinnenstift Beselich

The foundation of the monastery occurred around 1170 by the Arnstein Abbey on the Beselicher Kopf. It was dedicated to the Premonstratensian canonesses and bore the name “Monastery of the Most Holy Virgin Mary and the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul.” The initiative for its establishment came from Gottfried von Beselich, a priest of the St. Lubentiusstift in Dietkirchen, who bequeathed a church dedicated to Saint Giles, along with a farm, to Arnstein Abbey for this purpose. A deed of gift from 1163, confirmed by Archbishop Hillin of Trier, attests to its early origins. The monastery was subordinate to the Abbot of Arnstein, who held ultimate authority, while a mistress managed internal affairs. It primarily attracted noblewomen and accumulated considerable wealth through dowries and soul remembrances, which manifested in extensive lands and possessions. In the mid-15th century, the monastery suffered a severe setback due to an attack that destroyed it. After its reconstruction and resettlement by sisters from Gummersbach, attempts at reformation and internal conflicts arose in the 16th century, ultimately leading to the dissolution of the convent in 1568.

The ruins of Beselich Monastery are located on the Beselicher Kopf, which, at 296 meters, is the highest elevation in the municipality of Beselich on the edge of the Limburg Basin. Its central position within the municipality allows access via the roads between the districts of Obertiefenbach, Schupbach, and Niedertiefenbach.

Today, the Beselich monastery ruin is protected as a cultural monument. In addition to the historical complex, the former monastery farm is used for agricultural purposes. The pilgrimage chapel “Maria Hilf” has been located in the immediate vicinity since 1767.

• Schadeck Castle (Castle, approx. 4772 m away)
• Dehrn Castle (Castle, approx. 5059 m away)
• Runkel Castle (Castle, approx. 5059 m away)
• Hadamar Castle (Castle, approx. 6825 m away)